Guardians, Rangers Split Doubleheader To Open Homestand
Tuesday was Cleveland's fourth doubleheader of the season after this unusually wet spring and summer continued to frown on the first season of Guardians baseball.
In fact, even on Tuesday it took a little while for this series to get underway, thanks to a 1 hour, 19 minute rain delay holding up play before today's action began.
In the first game of the day, the Guardians got back to .500 on the season (25-25) for the first time since May 14 when they were 16-16. The Guardians took an early lead after three innings and never looked back in a 6-3 victory.
Cal Quantrill gave the team seven strong innings to earn his third win of the year - and his second win in as many starts. Eli Morgan and Emmanuel Clase each pitched 1-2-3 frames in relief.
Amed Rosario led the way with a 3-hit day. Oscar Gonzalez doubled twice as he continues to swing a hot bat during his first two weeks in the big leagues. Owen Miller drove in two runs, while Gonzalez, Josh Naylor, Andres Gimenez and Steven Kwan drove home the others. Most of the damage was done during a 4-run third inning.
Cleveland stole six bases in the first game, which is the most they've had in one game since September 2021.
The Guardians didn't quite have the same luck in the nightcap, falling by a final of 6-3. Texas lefty fireballer Taylor Hearn struck out five of the first seven batters he saw and Cleveland managed just two singles over the first five innings against him. Combined with three homers off rookie Kirk McCarty in his first Major League start, the Guards trailed 5-0 after five.
Cleveland finally broke through in the sixth inning. Rosario brought home the first run with a single up the middle and Oscar Gonzalez continued his big day with a 2-run single.
But Gimenez came on as a pinch-hitter for Ernie Clement and popped out in foul ground beyond the third base camera bay to end what could have been a monster inning.
Marcus Simien had one of the most productive days of his professional career and almost single-handedly earned Texas a split of the day's doubleheader. Simien batted nine times between the two games, racking up four singles, three home runs, a walk, two steals and reaching safely on a fielder's choice. The nightcap marked his 11th career multi-homer game (first of 2022), having last accomplished that feat against the New York Yankees last September.
Simien raised his batting average on 25 points on the day (.196 to .221).
The series finale is set for Wednesday night at 7:10 p.m. Shane Bieber is scheduled to pitch for Cleveland against Rangers RHP Dane Dunning.
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